The White House party for the July Fourth holiday has the hallmarks of both happiness and commiseration.

The crowds danced to a military band playing popular songs and whooped when US president Joe Biden took the podium to speak.

The Washington Nationals’ four presidential mascots — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt  an a footrace with Teddy winning.

Yet there was an undeniable sense of loss for participants such as Twanda Taylor, a New Jersey kindergarten teacher. She brought her godson, Nasir Dickerson, 14, who lost his father to COVID-19 on April 21, 2020.

“This is what it’s all about — bringing America all back together,” Taylor said. “It’s an honor to be here.”